Chapter Two #2
“We’ll see.” Roper’s expression masked his thoughts, but Cheyenne knew that he had to be devastated.
“She’s Lila’s horse,” he said. “After I get the vet’s opinion, Lila can make the final call.
” He turned to Cheyenne. “Keep an eye on Fire Dance until we get back. Don’t get too close.
He could kill you, given the state he’s in.
If you’re worried about him, lower the door. ”
“Leave Hayden here with Fire Dance,” Cheyenne said. “I can help you get Millie to a stall and stay with her for the vet.”
“Fine.” Roper passed Hayden’s lead to Cheyenne. “Damn it, there’s a place reserved in hell for the driver of that truck!”
“We need to talk about that—and a few other things,” Cheyenne said.
“Not now. Let’s go.” He led the limping Millie off the ramp with careful steps.
Cheyenne walked close, supporting the filly’s injured side. Her eyes misted as she stroked the satiny neck. “Oh, Millie, darling,” she whispered, “I’m so, so sorry.”
Roper sat on a bench outside the arena, watching the setting sun bleed crimson streaks across the desert sky.
The barn, with its 1,200 climate-controlled stalls, was swarming with activity, but here, the evening was quiet.
With the rig safely parked in the trailer strip, Cheyenne had gone to dinner with Hayden.
They’d invited him along, but Roper had no appetite.
After the hellish afternoon, it was time to phone Lila.
He dreaded giving her bad news. But she’d be waiting for his call, and he needed to hear her voice.
In a world that seemed to be spinning out of control, Lila had become his anchor.
She was as strong as she was beautiful—a widow who could have her pick of wealthy, respectable men.
Why she would choose a simple cowboy with bad luck dogging him like a hungry coyote was more than Roper could fathom.
He would take the love she gave him, but he had his pride.
He wouldn’t claim her under the law and heaven until he could offer her the life she deserved.
That meant clearing the murder charge and making a name for himself as a trainer and money-winning rider.
He hoped Lila would wait. But he wouldn’t blame her if she came to her senses and walked away.
She would have been here with him now. But before the trip, she’d stumbled against a wheelbarrow of loose hay, reached out to steady herself, and been struck on the arm by a small rattlesnake.
After antivenin treatment in the hospital, she was recovering at home, under the care of her daughter, a nursing student at Texas Christian University.
But Roper was still worried about her. He wouldn’t breathe easy until he made sure she was all right.
He needed to talk with her for another reason. That sideswipe on the freeway had been no accident. The driver had meant to cause a deadly crash. Only luck and the fast-moving traffic had kept him from finishing the job.
There was no question that the man had been paid. Roper could imagine why and by whom. Maybe Lila could confirm that his hunch was right.
He scrolled to her number and made the call. Her husky “Hello” stirred a tightness in his chest.
“It’s me, Boss.” The last word emerged as a caress. “How are you? Resting in bed, I hope.”
“Actually, I’m on the patio, by the pool, with a glass of iced tea. Gemma’s been hovering over me all day. I told her I needed some time alone. I was hoping you’d call now. How was the drive to Vegas?”
“I’ll tell you in a minute. But first I want to know about you. How’s the pain?”
“Not too bad. I’m mostly just feeling tired.
But I’m beginning to think fate has it in for me.
I’ve been rolled in a car, knocked down by a horse, bitten by a rattler …
Heavens, what’s next? I feel like a magnet for disaster.
” She gave a wry chuckle. “That’s enough whining from me. How was your trip?”
Roper steeled his emotions. Lila had been hurt repeatedly. He was about to hurt her again. “Before I tell you about the trip, I need answers to a couple of questions.”
“Go ahead.” A note of caution had crept into her voice.
“How many people knew about your plan to drive to Las Vegas with me?”
She hesitated. “Not many. Mariah knew, of course. And Gemma—I always let my daughter know where I’ll be.”
“You didn’t tell Darrin and Simone?”
“No. Why should I? We’re barely on speaking terms. But Mariah could have mentioned it to them—or even passed it on to Madeleine if they’re in touch.”
Lila’s answer matched Roper’s suspicions. Mariah, the Culhanes’ longtime cook and housekeeper, was loyal to Frank’s first wife. She also kept in touch with Frank’s son and daughter-in-law. If they’d known about Lila’s plans, they would have expected her to be in the truck with him.
“So, who knew that you’d decided to stay home?”
“Probably just Gemma. I’d already given Mariah the week off to visit her sister in California. The stable hands might have seen me, but they wouldn’t have paid much attention. They had orders from you.” She fell silent for a moment. “Why are you asking me these questions, Roper?”
He told her about the incident on the freeway. “It couldn’t have been an accident. I can’t help thinking that whoever hired that semi driver expected you to be in the truck with me.”
“So a fatal rollover would have killed us both.” Her voice quivered slightly.
“It makes sense. We know who wants you out of the picture. They already tried it once. And taking me with you would be a bonus. They’d have you out of the house and me out of the stable—a double win.”
“But how could anyone be so cold—and with the horses in the trailer? Are you sure Darrin and Simone were behind it?”
“Them or their mother. We know that Madeleine’s got the connections to put out a hit—if she’s even in the country. But unless the police find the truck driver, and he talks, we’ve got no proof of anything.”
“So there’s nothing we can do?”
“For now, just be wary of them. Don’t put yourself in a situation where you could be hurt.”
A beat of silence passed between them before she spoke again.
“I’m sorry, Roper. If your hunch is correct, I’m partly to blame for what happened. Is your sister all right?”
“She’s fine. She went out to dinner with Hayden Barr tonight. The rig took a beating, but the damage is insured.”
“What about the horses? Were they hurt?”
Roper took a deep breath. It was time for the bad news.
“The horses were shaken up when the trailer tipped. One in a Million was spooked, but he doesn’t appear to be hurt.
Fire Dance was so crazy wild that Hayden and I, and Sam Rafferty, who was close by, could barely get him out of the trailer and into a stall.
The last time I checked, he wasn’t letting anybody near him.
He doesn’t seem to be injured, but I don’t know if he’ll be calm enough to show on Saturday night. ”
“So Sam is there. I was wondering where he’d gone.”
“He’s keeping an eye on me. I can tell he’s under a lot of pressure to close the case, but I can’t let that worry me this week. I told him about the so-called accident, so at least he’s aware that something’s going on.”
“What about Millie? You haven’t mentioned her.”
Roper lowered his voice. “I’m sorry, Boss. Millie was hurt. She has a shattered left leg, most likely the shaft of the tibia. It’s bad. The vet can do surgery and attach a metal plate, but he says she’ll always be lame. She won’t be able to run or carry a rider.”
“Oh, Roper.” Lila gave a moan of dismay. “Is she in much pain?”
“The leg’s been splinted to keep it stable, and she’s had shots of phenylbutazone for the pain. But the surgery will need to be done soon—unless you choose to put her out of her misery. She’s your horse. It’s your call.”
Lila took a ragged breath. “I was in the stall when Millie was born. I hand-raised her after her mother died. She had so much potential, so much spirit. With time and experience, she could have become a champion like her father.” The words ended in a sob.
“If I love her, I won’t force her to suffer, Roper.
And I won’t force her to live out her life as a cripple, knowing she can’t run free. ”
“So you’re asking to have her put down?” Roper’s voice was gentle, but there was no way to soften the impact of the question.
“Yes.” Lila was weeping now, forcing each word. “It’s the only kind thing I can do for her. Have her body shipped home in a refrigerated truck. I don’t care how much it costs. I’ll have the grave dug and bury her here on the ranch, next to Million Dollar Baby.”
“I’ll take care of everything,” Roper said. “I’m sorry that I can’t be there with you. If I hadn’t decided to take her—”
“Don’t even think it. This wasn’t your fault. I’ll be with you later in the week when I come to see you ride.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t try to come,” Roper said. “You may not be strong enough to make the trip. And the way things are going here, you might not have much to see.”
“I’ll be the judge of that. I love you, Roper. No matter what happens—”
“I love you, too, Boss.” He cut her off. “As for what happens, let’s not talk about that. All we can do is make the best of now.”
“I’ll be there. You can plan on it—oh, here’s Gemma. Got to go.”
The call ended abruptly, leaving Roper gazing at the phone in his hand. Steeling himself, he slipped it into his pocket and went back inside the barn. He needed to check on the two stallions. After that, it would be time to make arrangements for the end of Millie’s beautiful, young life.
But he wasn’t letting this tragedy go—especially given that the likely target had been Lila. He wouldn’t rest until the driver of the green Peterbilt had been punished and the person who’d hired him had faced justice—the law’s or Roper’s own.
Darrin Culhane hurled his cell phone against the far wall of his home office. It splintered the glass of his framed law-school diploma, where it hung next to a photo of him shaking hands with George W. Bush.